UNCW men back to struggles in the post after early strides

Friday

Jan 4, 2013 at 2:43 PM

Seahawks' height can't solve weight problem

By Brian MullBrian.Mull@StarNewsOnline.com

Entering the season, the UNCW men's basketball team figured on its frontcourt to provide the foundation of consistent scoring, defense and rebounding.Exposed inside often in recent seasons, the tallest collection of bodies to ever don the Seahawks uniform was expected to deliver. Only, that hasn't been the case. Keith Rendleman is putting together another All-CAA season; the rest of the post players have spent the last month living somewhere between inconsistent and invisible.Towson, with two rugged 240-pound forwards, was the latest opponent to pound the Seahawks in the paint."All night I was trying to find that extra post guy to help us out. … We've got to find that extra post guy to keep that inside down," UNCW coach Buzz Peterson said after the game. "They scored way too many points in the paint."Way too many was 46, or 16 more than UNCW could muster. And it continued a troubling trend. In its last four losses, the Seahawks have been outscored 152-100 in the paint.The poor play prompted Peterson into what can only be viewed as an act of desperation against Towson. He removed the struggling Cedrick Williams from the starting lineup and inserted senior Matt Wilson – who played only 38 minutes in the first 12 games. Wilson was pulled from the game before the first media timeout and played a quiet nine minutes.Much like past seasons, a lack of frontcourt bulk is the glaring deficiency. Rendleman and Williams both top out at 220 pounds and have trouble consistently winning the battle for position around the lane. At 240 pounds, former walkon Shane Reybold is easily the Seahawks' most physical post player. But whatever he brings on the defensive end is offset by a limited offensive game and marginal athleticism. UNCW thought it might receive help from 7-foot, 275-pound freshman center C.J. Gettys this season. However, he battled shoulder pain throughout the preseason and, when an MRI revealed a labrum tear, he had surgery to repair it in mid-December. He has a long rehabilitation process ahead, and likely won't return to the practice court before May. Gettys, who played in three games, should receive a medical redshirt from the NCAA and have four years eligibility remaining.Gettys looked promising at times in practice. But the Seahawks need to win this year, and protecting the basket is a step in that direction. While the frontcourt has to accept the repeated challenges Peterson has sent their way, the UNCW guards realize they have to share the responsibility."No matter what," guard Tyree Graham said. "The ball can't get in the paint if we're pressuring the ball. I put that on us guards."